Interpreting Iron Age violence or violent nature of archaeological narratives? The case of Kale-Krševica (south-eastern Serbia)

Abstract

This paper aims to show how the ‘violent nature’ of ‘paleo-Balkan tribes’ as indicated in some Greek and Roman texts is perceived, interpreted, and consequently constructed as supposedly independent historical evidence in different archaeological narratives on a case study of Kale-Krševica – a specific late Iron Age ‘Hellenised’ settlement in south-eastern Serbia. Hypotheses about this site’s ethnic identity, which range from local Paeonians, Thracians, Dardanians, or possibly even Greeks, are fit into the historical framework of violent Iron Age period encounters, which have some very prominent ramification on further archaeological interpretations. I will argue that theoretical aspects which are implemented favour violent scenarios in order to present an expected and supposedly coherent image of distinctive Iron Age ethnicities in a constant struggle even though it may not be the only nor the most likely context. At the same time, the implementation of the concept of ‘Hellenisation’ as a colonial perspective about local groups who quite ‘naturally’ become ‘Greek’ or ‘Greek-like’ and therefore more ‘civilised’, makes this site’s social life a good arena for pointing out the direct or implicit use of various narratives about past/present violence.